Snowmobiles have become a popular recreational vehicle, and are also used in many colder regions as modes of transportation for domestic and commercial purposes. Frequently snowmobiles are driven on frozen lakes and rivers, which tend to provide large, open snow-covered expanses in frigid weather conditions, and occasionally a snowmobile breaks through the ice and sinks. This has resulted in many deaths and injuries, as well as loss of property. Despite that the hazards of exposure to cold water are well known, many operators persistently operate their snowmobiles in such areas and expose themselves to potential submersion in icy waters.
Flotation devices for snowmobiles are known. However, such devices are typically large and intrusive and require considerable integration into the body of the snowmobile, making them poorly suited for retrofit situations. Moreover, such devices tend to be concerned with maintaining the snowmobile itself afloat, and do not address the safety of the operator and other occupants of the snowmobile who can quickly succumb to the effects of hypothermia even when only partially submerged in frigid water.